I hope you all are enjoying the story- I love feedback!

When it comes to Friday, I always earn
But don't try to teach me, I got nothing to learn
'Cause baby I'm gifted
You see what I mean?
USDA certified lean

1:45 am

Charlie was sitting at a table playing cards and sipping moonshine when Bass walked back into the tent.

He walked up behind her chair and leaned over the back to see her cards.

She immediately pulled the cards to her chest when she turned around to find him standing above her. He only grinned at her.

"I'm not exactly going to announce your hand to everyone," he said with a laugh in his tone.

Charlie found herself laughing a little as well. She had consumed well over her limit for alcohol that night and was feeling pretty good.

A few moments later, the winning hand was shown, the card game was over, and everyone started to disperse.

"Where are you headed?" Bass asked Charlie.

"Probably to the Inn down the road," Charlie replied, pulling her chain belt and pack from the back of her chair. Bass started to walk out of the tent alongside Charlie.

"Just stay at the trailer tonight" Bass offered without hesitation. Charlie looked at him in surprise and Bass only shrugged.

"It's late and you need to keep your diamonds- the Inn has rooms for at least fifteen diamonds a night," Bass reasoned. "We may end up needing some of your diamonds, if this plan goes belly up."

"Well, thanks, but listening to you and one of your whores isn't exactly how I want to end my night," the words spilled out of Charlie's mouth before she could even stop them.

Bass nearly laughed at her brazen statement... there were several ways he could respond to this, but he opted not to push her buttons any further tonight. "Well, there are no whores tonight- I am going to sleep, that's it...seriously, come on."

Charlie was reluctant for a moment and then started to follow him. The two were silent for the short remaining walk back to Bass' trailer. He unlocked the door and allowed Charlie to walk through first.

"I'll just take the couch- you can have the bed," Bass explained. Charlie looked at him for a moment, uncertain.

As if he could read her mind, "the sheets have been changed- Gould actually has maids that come in and change the sheets on the bed- they were just here today," he stated, trying to stifle another laugh.

"Well, maybe the maids could also help you out with this living room- still a pig sty," Charlie smiled, her tone more playful than sarcastic, noting papers and bottles still on one of the tables.

Bass only shook his head and laughed, grabbing a pillow and taking his place on the couch as Charlie walked back to his bedroom and shut the door.

The Day of the Heist

9:00 am

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you nervous?" Bass asked Charlie, as he dipped his biscuit into the plate of gravy. They were having breakfast in the tent and discussing strategy for the evening ahead (actually Bass was discussing strategy- Charlie had hardly said a word).

Charlie had been unusually quiet all morning. She nodded. "I'm not nervous- I just don't feel very well."

Bass smirked at that, "Ahh, you have a hangover...told you - that was too much alcohol for you last night."

"I can hold my alcohol, I'm fine," Charlie replied, not meeting his eyes.

The truth was, she was not only dealing with a hangover from all of the moonshine (and other libations) she had consumed the night before, but also the realization that she was starting to see Bass differently. It had become glaringly obvious last night when she was practically ogling him during his fight. Thank God he hadn't noticed...

"Yeah, get it together, alright? I need you on top of your game tonight, if this is going to work," Bass spoke in a hushed tone that pulled Charlie from her thoughts.

Charlie nodded again, still silent.

"...and who might this be?" a voice called from behind them and they could see it was Gould approaching their table, motioning to Charlie.

Bass turned around in his chair. He looked at Gould and back to Charlie, not quite prepared for how to play this. Charlie seemed to be throwing him off his game lately...

"Hello Gould- yes, this is -" Bass turned to look at Charlie again, not entirely sure whether she had been using her real name while in New Vegas.

"-Savannah," Charlie caught on and spoke up with her alias, looking at Gould and offering a flirtatious smile that got Bass' attention.

Gould took Charlie's hand and kissed it. "Nice to meet you, Savannah- you must be pretty special. Jimmy doesn't usually invite his guests to breakfast," he was smirking at Bass as he spoke.

Bass remained silent until he noticed that Gould was blatantly staring at Charlie. "Hey-" Gould didn't seem to notice until Bass snapped his fingers closer to Gould's face, "Hey!"

"Relax- you aren't exactly the possessive type, Jimmy," Gould grinned, not having previously witnessed Jimmy reacting this way toward a female. "Savannah, come to the tables later, play a few games - my treat."

Charlie gave Gould a bright smile and nodded that she would indeed come to the tables later. She leaned forward with a playful tone, still looking directly at Gould. "I would love to, thank you."

Gould winked at her and grinned again before walking away. Bass could only look between Gould and Charlie, starting to feel uneasy about this plan.

"This could actually be to our advantage," Charlie spoke up softly so no one else could hear. "Maybe if I can distract Gould along with a few of his men tonight at the tables, it will be easier for you to get out of the tent with the diamonds."

Bass sat there for a moment in silence, suddenly not so sure what to think of Charlie at this point. "Are you really sure about this? You gotta be careful with some of these guys...Gould is a shark- don't get yourself hurt or killed, at least not until you're back on Miles' watch," he said boldly. He was starting to get angry and he wasn't quite sure where it was coming from.

Charlie narrowed her eyes. Bass had been acting like a (borderline) gentleman last night and this morning, and then he had to start acting like an ass again. There were moments it seemed like he may actually care what happened to her, but then she realized that it all came back to Miles and what he would think, how he would react, etc.

"I will be fine - I know you wouldn't want to disappoint Miles and all, but I'm not a kid and you're not my keeper," Charlie retorted, standing up from the table and walking back through the tent.

Bass knew that he had underestimated Charlie - he knew that she wasn't some innocent kid who was unaware of how high the stakes were for all of them...she had only been playing along with Gould to use it to their advantage later, but Bass had felt the strong urge to rip the guy's head off just for looking at her...

Bass signed and leaned back in his chair, trying to process the range of conflicting emotions he was currently experiencing.